2 AM
by Achernar-amnis-faux
Summary: "It's Yugi!" Yami repeats: "I like this Yugi person so much and I need your help to win his heart," he says. "But I am Yugi. How can-" "Precisely," Yami nods convincingly at my protest: "I need your help to win your heart." [AU, Twoshot, Puzzleshipping]
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone! When I decided to take a break from all the angst, this cute plot bunny was just wondering around..._

_About this story:_

Yugi's POV

Adorable drunk!Yami

Mild shonen-ai

_Hope you'll like it, enjoy!_

* * *

I suddenly jump of my bed, frantically moving my head to the right and to the left to look at the infernal device and shut it down, along with its devilish sound.

In fact, there is something that keeps ringing in my room. It has kept with the noisy sound for a good minute and I concluded that it must be the alarm clock. And I really hate the sound of my alarm clock. I wish it would just stop. As I slowly regain possession of my mental faculties and the sleep, even more slowly, fades away, I remember where I use to keep the damn clock.

As a result, I slam my hand hard onto the nightstand. Years of practice have turned me into a pro alarm clock smasher (and have turned my hand into a reddish thing, too). But it's worth it. Now that the clock is silenced, I can finally avoid my responsibilities as a grown man and go back to sleep. But as I am about to hide under my blankets once more, my ears raise again because of the same, persistent, and definitely annoying ring. But it can't come from my clock. I shut it down. Literally.

I come to the conclusion that it must be my phone and that whoever is calling me this early in the morning will eventually give up. Happy with the though, I curl inside my blankets again, but in doing so, I turn my head to the window. And then realization finally hits me.

It's dark outside.

Really, really dark.

I turn to the alarm clock again, hoping that it is not too smashed to display the numbers anymore, but, thankfully, it still works.

2am.

_What the- _

What or who on earth wants me to get up so freaking early? Or late?

The beep sound keeps coming from outside my room and I finally decide to get up and see it clearly. I toss my blankets away and sleepily stroll my way down the corridor, searching for the source of the noise. Ta-dah, there it is. The doorbell.

I frown glaring at my door. Who can be so crazy to ring a doorbell in the middle of the night? My doorbell, among all. Wait. What if they are criminals, or dangerous people, or stalkers, or…

While my mind keeps building different and more catastrophic scenarios, I decide to peek outside the door through the peephole. A bush of wild tricolored hair and two blurred red eyes is all I can see before I unlock the door and open it a small bit, so that the guy will understand that he can finally stop ringing that damn doorbell. What does my friend and neighbor (not to mention longtime crush) want from me at two o'clock?

"Yeah?" I ask holding back a yawn. He seems immensely grateful to see my face.

"Yugi! Finally! I neeeed ya help."

"Yami, exactly how drunk are you this time-" I mumble stepping back a bit.

"Not sa much" he reassures me "We were having a party at my place but the guys flew away some lot minutesssh ago. And I am in dire need of ya help".

_'Not sa much'_. I roll my eyes at that: Yami is basically sustaining himself by leaning his right shoulder on the doorframe and his left hand grabs the other side of the doorframe tightly. I am pretty sure that the slightest blow of wind would let him fall.

I would love so much to slam my door in his face because it's darn two in the morning and I am so_ not_ of a morning person, and Yami isn't certainly here to confess his undying love for me. So, no: no dire reasons to stay awake. But I'm too nice for my own good, Jonouchi always says that. I can't even cross my arms in disappointment because I need them both for carrying Yami inside.

And he isn't helping at all.

Yami is a midget just like me, his hair are just a little messier then mine, with more blond bangs, but I seriously doubt that all that weight comes from the extra hair. Then how in the world can he be so heavy? Plus, he's still rambling about the dangers of potato chips and how much Bakura's (one of his crazy friends) hair resemble a fuzzy bunny. He's saying that Bakura must be the Easter Bunny's reincarnation and that he wants to take him hostage next Easter so that Yami can have all the free chocolate eggs. Usually I would nod absently and go with his crazy alcoholic flow, but at the moment, I'm too busy carrying him to the living room to even nod my head. Thank god, he is too drunk to notice me blushing: he is so cute when he slurs words like that.

Panting, I finally manage to push him on the couch and I am about to go to the kitchen and make my friend some dark coffee, even if I'm not quite sure whether he will manage to drink it or he will instantly pass out on the sofa. There is also the possibility of him throwing up on that same sofa. Which happens to be _my _couch, in _my_ living room. Ugh. Tell me you are not going to throw up, Yami. I don't want to do the cleaning at two am. But just as I am about to push myself away from the piece of furniture and go to the kitchen, I realize that there is something holding me back.

Yami is sprawled on the couch with his face pressed against the cushions. But his left arm is tightly enclosed around my waist.

"Mmh-pf," he mumbles something against the fabric.

"Yami?" I ask raising an eyebrow "What did you say?"

"'nt- eeav," he repeats. I sigh and try to pull away, but the result is only his hand gripping my hip more firmly. Now, if Yami wasn't completely high, as he looks and I hope he is, I would have squealed.

"N't leevmme," he repeats. Is that a plea?

"I'm just going to the kitchen, you need a coffee. Strong and dark," I yawn "And I need one, too". Yami still refuses to let go and simply shakes his head in deny. Have I already said that he's cute? Well, I shall as well repeat myself.

"I don't wanna a coffee," he now turns to me, facing me with his face. His eyes are half closed and I don't know if that is an effect of the wine or something, but they look as dark and red as ever.

"I wanna you," he purrs. His hand is now gripping my pajama shirt, fingers clutching the fabric. I have one knee on the couch to sustain basically all of my weight. But Yami is pulling me versus him and I have to reach my hands out on the couch not to fall over him. Not that I would mind, actually...

"Yami, you are clearly out of your mind. I don't blame you though, I know what happens when your friends come over at night, but, please would you-" I'm trying to reason with him, but I have to stop; Yami is clever, I know that even if he was completely shit headed (which now he is not) he would still get something of what I say. But this time it's like he just doesn't want to listen at all. He keeps staring at me, those mesmerizing red irises are completely focused on my face and this is both unsetting and wonderful. There is some glint in those eyes, behind the alcohol hyperness, but I can't fathom what. He's hinting at something…

"Yami…" I breathe.

"Mmm?"

"Would you please stop staring at me so?" But he simply shakes his head, a playful smirk on his lips. He's such a child and I resist the impulse to sigh.

"Then, would you please let go of me?" this time he slowly moves his hand away from my hip. But his smirk is getting wilder. I can't understand why until I feel his hand on behind my back and I feel him pulling me closer with much more strength that before. I collapse on top of him, legs oddly entwined with his, and my hands spread out just on time to hold my frame back and not to clash on his head. This time I squeal.

"Yami, what-" I can't end the complain because as soon as I open my mouth I feel him pulling his arms around me and dragging me in a tigh hug.

"Sorry…" he mumbles, but that Cheshire Cat smirk is telling a completely different story. Yami is anything but sorry. And my complexion is starting to assume every shade of pink in this universe.

"I need ya help, Yugi" ah, yeah. That's what he said when I first opened my door.

"What for? To capture Bunny Bakura?" I mumble. He shakes his head like it was the most serious thing in the world.

"No, silly. I need your help 'cause there is sshomeone that I like…," he still slurs, but not as much as before. My blush fades a bit at that and my heartbeat slows down. I didn't even notice it had fastened, I guess it was because of the closeness...

"At two in the morning?" I try to hide my disappointment behind sarcasm. I'm usually good at these things. He nods. I pointlessly try to get out of his embrace and have a more comfortable seat on my couch: It's not like laying on Yami is not comfortable but… ok, maybe I just want a more appropriate seat. It doesn't work anyway, his arms are like a grip. I sigh softly, trying to display a kind smile, and resign to my position.

"Who is it?" I ask.

"There is this person… " He begins "And I have liked them for a long time. Like, really much liked and really much time," I smile at the grammar nonsense "And I feel alone every time we are not together. This person is special and can always manage to make me smile" Yami is talking so softly now, I inwardly blush because I really can't stand him when he's like that. But I didn't miss the fact that Yami is using 'they' instead of a 'he' or a 'she'. What is that? Him trying to be a smartass even when he's high? Or is he hinting again…

"This person must be nice" I comment. Yami nods convincingly.

"The most nicest person in the world" he acknowledges.

"And are they a he or a she?" I'm curious, ok? Yami smirks at me, winking.

"You little ball of shneakiness," he shakes his head no "I am not telling ya". I pout.

"Aw, Yami please. How can I help you if I don't know?" but unfortunately for him, I am the master of pouts and it takes little time for Yami to look already like he was convinced.

"So, you promise you will help me… win this person's heart?" he asks carefully, as if he was trying my trustworthiness.

"I want to know who they are, first". Yami chuckles at my answer, low and playful. And terribly alluring.

"First you promise." I lower my head a bit, my chin almost reaches Yami's chest.

"Ok, I do" I nod.

"Do what?" How can he make that poker face even when he's high? I am surer and surer that he's trying to fool me and that he is still lucid.

"I promise. I promise- "

"To love me, comfort me, honor and keep me, in sickness and in health; and be faithful to me as long as we both shall live?" See? I told you he was still lucid.

"What?" I think I just squealed again.

"Won't you?" Yami is staring at me with those red, wonderful eyes of him, a plea and a game in his gaze. I smile, not sure to what I am agreeing to, but I love playing as well.

"Maybe" I mumble. "Now, will you tell me who this person is?" He nods slowly.

"It's a guy. The most handsome guy I know," he says.

"He's just handsome?" I ask a bit reluctantly, I know that Yami doesn't value appearance as much as he values other things, so it would sound a bit strange from his mouth…

"No, duh. He is also the smartest and funniest person I know. He is kind and strong, and always helps others. And would never turn his back to a friend." I knew that, only appearance is not enough.

"This guy must be really a nice person." Yami smiles and nods again.

"Yes, Yugi. You are," he says.

"What?" He pulls away one of the arms that are secured on my waist to place a hand on his forehead.

"Yugi, would you please stop squealing? It hurts," he complains.

"Well, you shouldn't have drunk so much" I now this is not time for scolding Yami, but I can't help it. I take a deep breath and try to process what he has just said. There is a high chance that Yami didn't mean what he said. Even if somehow lucid he's still high, right?

"Okay, now tell me again who the person you like is," I demand "And slowly!" so that I can't misinterpret this time. He sighs, as if he was annoyed because he has to repeat himself.

"It's Yugi! I like this Yugi person so much and I need your help to win his heart," he says.

"But _I_ am Yugi. How can-"

"Precisely" he nods "I need your help to win your heart.

Don't tell Yugi, because I want this to be a surprise" he places a finger in front of his lips, winking at me playfully.

I am so tempted to facepalm now. How on earth could I have thought that Yami was lucid? I take everything back: he is a stupid, sneaky, annoying and terribly sexy amount of drunkenness! But Yami is still looking at me, with those amazing eyes, blurred with sleep and alcohol, and red with mischievousness. They sparkle just like red wine through a glass of crystal, and burn with hope and expectation. He is clearly waiting for an answer. Oh, well. Two can play this game.

I come closer to his face. "Can you keep a secret, Yami?" I mumble under my breath. He nods reassuringly. I smirk and lean my lips just an inch from his right ear.

"I like someone, too" I whisper. His pupils widen in surprise and I can read the word 'who' in his eyes just like he had it written on his forehead with black ink. "It's a guy," I go on "The most handsome guy I know. And the smartest and funniest, too."

"Wait!" this time is he the one who squeals, "You don't like Yugi as well, do you?"

I am doing my best not to snicker, but it's really, really hard. I pull away from his ear and shake my head no.

"Who do you like, then?" he asks again. At that, I press my finger on his lips "Promise me you won't say anyone. Okay?" he nods, looking at me expectantly.

"I like Yami. And I need your help to win his heart."

He smirks one of the wildest smirks I have ever seen on his face. And I assure you, he has a wide range of smirks to display, and I have seen a lot.

"I was the one asking for help first. Take your turn." I hold back my chuckle and simply shrug at his reply.

"If you want my help winning Yugi's heart, you must help me winning Yami's first" I smirk. He seems to think about my offer for a moment, before the thoughtful expressions gives away to a new, different, smirk.

"Deal" he nods "Then, I have a little piece of advice for ya" he whispers "Come closer, so that _he_ won't listen." I, which happens to be 'he', too, come closer to his face and Yami reaches for my chin with his right hand, now we are just a few inches away.

"I am sure Yami would really, really like a kiss from you" he whispers again, as if it was some sort of precious secret, and I arch my eyebrow playfully.

"Are you sure he will like that?" I demand again "Can I trust you?"

"Sure you can" he nods convincingly.

"Then, I have a tiny piece of advice for you as well" I say brushing one of his blond locks away from his face "Yugi would really, really like you to kiss him" I whisper slowly. Yami's gaze sparkles of a devilish scarlet.

"You sure?"

"I am" I nod reassuringly.

Now I can see the struggle in Yami's eyes. A part of him wants to go on with our game and another part of him is falling to the tiredness. The alcohol and the late hour are affecting the both of us. Well, maybe minus the alcohol part as far as I am concerned. I didn't drink tonight. But it's still two am. However, he still refuses to fall asleep and his eyes are still glimmering with malice.

"So… you think Yugi would mind it if I kissed him… like now?" he whispers. His thumb has begun to stroke my chin and climbs over my face, up to my cheek. His hand is cold, brisk, maybe a bit clumsy even, I blame that on his drunken state. But the touch is gentle. I think I like it. So very much…

"I'll go ask him" I manage to whisper in return, my voice miraculously still steady. But he shakes his head at that.

"No, I don't want ya to leave. I feel alone when you are not with me; I don't like to be alone" he breathes.

"Ok, then…" I murmur, and then, I fill the gap between our mouths.

I have waited for this very moment for as long as I have known Yami. And I don't know if it was the same for him but if that was the case, then we both are a pair of stupid, shy, dorks and I would gladly smack the both of us in the head. I can taste the flavor of wine and liquor on his lips. But unlike Yami's hands, they are soft and warm. But there's something off… it's just my impression or Yami is not responding to my kiss? I did not misinterpret him, this time, did I? Come on: how many Yugi can be in this world? I'm pretty sure I am the only one with this silly name. So it must have been me Yami was talking about. Why then Yami-

"Yami?" I mumble as I pull apart a small bit.

Yami's eyes are completely shut now; the red that I so love is no more visible, his grip on my back has loosened. His breath is calm and relaxed. His chest rises and sinks slowly. A peaceful expression on his face.

"Yami!" I squeal once more, more loudly than ever.

The guy is fucking asleep!

* * *

_I kind of like this AU and I have a couple more ideas for it. Do you think I should write a sequel? Let me know!_


	2. Chapter 2

_I. Am. So. Sorry._

_Ok, here's how it went: I had LOADS of ideas for the sequel and couldn't wait to write it down, but I didn't have the time to because I was having my exams in late December. So I put the fic on hold until I finally found the time to write something and then… my mind happened to be a complete tabula rasa. All inspiration and will to continue the fic was gone. When I finally finished the fic life got hectic again and I forgot about it… sorry?_

_I want to thank everyone who read the first part though, and a special thanks to LilRachity for helping me reviewing this fic: I hope you'll like this second chapter too!_

_a.N: Third person narration through the whole chapter (Yes, it's a miracle. No, it's not going to happen again)_

* * *

The first thing that Yami noticed when his eyelids slowly fluttered open was that his head spun. A lot.

It had to be his head because there was no way the pictures that hung upon the wall were spinning around like crazy, unless he had awakened during an earthquake. Yami rapidly grabbed the backrest of the sofa, clasping the fabric between his fingers like his life depended on it. No, it was completely still. No earthquake.

The young man sighed in relief and leant back into the softness of the cushion, bringing a hand to his head in a desperate attempt to stop its spinning. The young man's first impulse was to close his eyes again and let himself fall into Morpheus' warm embrace, but he was too stubborn to cede to sleep again without even discovering the reason of his headache.

Slumber fogged irises roamed their surroundings and Yami finally realized the couch he had fall asleep on wasn't his own. Maybe he should have noticed that small detail sooner, since his couch was green and the one he was laying on was red, but he blamed his lack of attention on the foggy state of his mind. Sleepiness, time (a rapid glance at the clock revealed it was 8 in the frigging morning!) and a visible and palpable hangover didn't exactly allow Yami to be at the best of his mental faculties.

Hangover, he said? Wait, what did he do yesterday night? _Whose house was this?_

Panic rushed through Yami's veins long enough for him to get off the couch in a rush and suddenly take a couple of wobbly steps back, hissing in pain. His head bumped like it was a drum, protesting against the quick movements. When the pain ceased a bit, Yami finally opened his eyes. Okay, his mind instructed, let's go back to step one: where was he?

Much to Yami's luck, the photo of a grinning spiky haired five year old he spotted on the shelf above the couch left little doubt about the owner of the house. For the second time that morning, Yami sighed in relief: the familiarity of Yugi's house was something his eyes welcomed happily.

Now, time to move to step two: why was he at Yugi's house?

While his feet lazily carried the young man to the kitchen, led by said young man's grumbling stomach, Yami tried to recall the events of yesterday night and how Yugi could fit in any of them, but he just couldn't. There was this huge black void in his memories – right between the moment he had almost thrown Bakura and Otogi out of his apartment, which he distinctively remembered had been around 2 in the morning, and the moment he had woken up on Yugi's couch.

The metallic sound of pots and pans was both a curse for Yami's throbbing head and a pleasant surprise for his heart: Yugi was at home. Maybe he would know what had happened to Yami the night before, seeing that the young man had spent the night on his couch. Finally reaching his destination, Yami lowered the kitchen door's handle and stepped inside.

Yugi was giving his back to the newcomer and apparently hadn't noticed him either, because he didn't turn around to say hello nor had he stopped doing what he was doing, which was making breakfast. It was much to Yami's luck again that the violet-eyed man hadn't turned around because there was no way Yami could see Yugi's frown or the angry way he was breaking the eggs in the frying pan or the violent way he was stirring the rice.

Yugi was angry indeed. Some hours before, he had actually been furious. But it was slowly fading away and now he was just angry. With Yami, of course.

At the mere mention of Yami, Yugi crunched the shell of one of the eggs in his palm, _That idiot_. Who did he think he was? To storm in into his house at two in the morning, babbling nonsense about him wanting to kiss Yugi and win his heart and then falling asleep just under Yugi's eyes? And body. Yugi blushed the smallest bit at that, but he quickly shoved the redness away from his cheeks. He was angry, not flustered, he repeated to himself. That scarlet-eyed idiot had used him to play his own game and get what he wanted, and then he had fallen asleep like nothing had happened! Was Yugi really so insignificant? Yami could at least pretend that he cared, just the smallest bit, just responding to the kiss or even shoving Yugi away…

The young man had never been so humiliated in his entire life. Okay… maybe he had been, that time when Jounouchi "accidentally" pushed a completely dressed Yugi inside the females' swimming pool had probably been worse – the girls were in the middle of a swimming lesson! But he wasn't going to let this kiss thing go by so easily anyway.

Yugi energetically chopped his omelet to small cubic pieces, the steel of the blade shining wickedly in the morning sun. Was he such a boring person that Yami had fallen asleep on him? Weren't they friends, or more? You can't fall asleep on your best friend, it's not a… _friendly_ thing to do, and Yami was usually really, exquisitely friendly. So what could it have been? And above all, had Yami been serious about the kiss in the first place or was it all some sick prank he had planned with Bakura and that other black-haired guy whose name Yugi could never seem to remember? What was it again: Rya-, Ryug-, Ruyj- Whatever!

Stupid, little, idiot of a midget. Yeah, Yugi was short as well, he knew. But that didn't change the fact that Yami barely reached 160 cm. Yugi had never cared about his or Yami's height before, but now he had all the intentions of giving his mind blanche card with indulging in Yami's defaults and flaws. Oh, he really couldn't wait to face the other two idiots as well, but Yami deserved first place on his suspects list and Yugi was determined to draw out some explanations from the red-eyed teen.

The traitor, the sick little-

A yawn suddenly stopped Yugi's train of thoughts. A yawn that wasn't his and that came right from behind Yugi's back.

"G'morning Yugi," came Yami's sleepy voice.

Yugi froze in his spot but didn't turn around and kept chopping his meal into microscopic pieces. His omelet was more and more resembling the look of some egg-flavored baby food.

Yami tilted his head, a genuine expression of puzzlement in his eyes, which Yugi of course couldn't see. The young man stepped closer to his friend, a sudden desire to wrap his arms around Yugi's frame and ask him what was wrong, which Yami blamed on his post-drunken state of mind. So he gulped his desire down and resolved for maintaining a certain distance between them.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

How could he do that? How could he sound oh-so innocent and nice after yesterday night? Did Yami suffer from a rare form of selective amnesia or what? Had he been _that_ shit-headed? Yugi put his knife down, the blade was starting to look too much like a huge temptation and he didn't want to cede to anger. No, Yugi was calm, perfectly calm. The two of them were just going to have a normal talk, like mature, reasonable people.

"Hmpf" he grunted in response. Yeah, _almost _perfectly calm.

Secure distance from his secret love interest be damned, Yami came closer to Yugi, now genuinely worried other than puzzled. Was Yugi angry with someone? With _him_?

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked cautiously, his head giving him another twinge. Damn, why did it hurt so much. "Look, I can't re-"

"Oh no" Yugi answered bitterly, finally turning himself to look at the other man, the back of his hands pressed on the kitchen counter as his back leaned against the piece of furniture. "Not at all." He shook his head.

"Oh, thank god, for a moment I thought-"

"It was more about something you _didn't_ do," the younger man spat.

"Wait, what-"

"Oh, c'mon Yami," Yugi mocked. "Don't play innocent with me. We both know this isn't your style, and it's not going to work anyway."

"Okay, now wait. Yesterday night I was with Bakura and Otogi-"

"Ah yes, that's the name – Otogi," Yugi mumbled to himself. "I can never seem to remember it…" Yami of course didn't get what Yugi was talking about and so decided to ignore the younger man and go on with his attempt to recall the accidents of the previous night.

"Then, around 2am I threw them both out of my house because we had a fight or something, I don't remember, I was drunk-"

"Yes," Yugi agreed nonchalantly "Yes, you were."

"Thank you for reminding me," Yami rolled his eyes. He was already having one of the worst hangovers in his lifetime, which was weird since he didn't remember drinking that much. _Plus,_ he also had some mysterious amnesia. Yugi could at least show some sympathy… "So it was 2am and I…" What did he do next?

"You decided to play around with my doorbell and pay a visit to dear little Yugi." The violet-eyed man filled the gap in Yami's memory.

"I did what?"

"Yami, are you kidding me? You slept on my couch, woke up in my house, stepped in my kitchen. How do you think it all happened – you magically flew over my roof and climbed yourself down the chimney overnight?"

"I'm not Santa Claus," Yami grumped matter-of-factly.

"Well, no offence but that's a pity." Though Yugi was well aware that it was a huge lie – there was no way in the world he would have exchanged a Yami for a Santa. A cute-sexy-sassy-sneaky-smart headed-red-eyed piece of m- _friend_, he corrected himself, for an overweight poor-sighted old man who dressed in red and lived in the frigging freezing North Pole? No fucking way. Wait – angry! Yes, Yugi was still angry with Yami for passing out under him, and just to make sure, the younger man shot a glare in Yami's direction.

"But why would I come over to your place if I were drunk?" Yami muttered, trying to recall his lost train of thought. They were just there, knocking at Yami's mind and waiting for the young man to open the door and acknowledge them. "This doesn't-"

"You said you needed my help," Yugi mumbled softly, remembering last night's words.

_And I am in dire need of your help._

Drunken, slurred words resonated in the back of Yami's mind. _Help_… he needed Yugi's help to…

_I need your help 'cause there is someone that I like._

_Who is it?_

_This person is special and can always manage to make me smile. The most nicest person in the world._

Yes! Now Yami remembered, and inwardly blushed at the thought of how blunt he had been the previous night. The knocking, the request, the explanation... And then Yugi wanted him to tell him who that person was but Yami did not want to tell Yugi because, well…

"And you promised …" Yami finally muttered, the fog slowly fading away from his intoxicated memories.

"Yes, I promised I would help you," Yugi acknowledged, but the other man shook his head at that, smirking softly if that was even possible.

"No," he denied slowly. "You promised to love me, comfort me, honor and keep me, in sickness and in health; and be faithful to me as long as we both shall live."

Yugi gulped down a squeal. Among all the nonsense they had told each other yesterday night was this all Yami could remember? Now, karma was certainly a sweet amusing thing…

"I never promised such thing!"

Yami seemed lost for the space of a few seconds, almost if weighting his chances and comparing them to his past words.

"But you would, wouldn't you?" It wasn't a tease, Yami's words sounded more like… a plea. Just like the last time he had said them. Because Yami now remembered the reason he had come to Yugi's house in the first place and knew he wouldn't find the courage to confess to Yugi once again if sober, so… he couldn't let last night's words go waste. And he didn't want to.

This time, however, Yugi could not reply that Yami was too drunk to formulate a coherent thought and maybe didn't mean what he said, because now Yami meant every syllable. So Yugi didn't answer and began musing about his emotions and about goddamned last night, all the while staring at the rug beneath the kitchen table, which apparently had become the most interesting thing in the world. The voices in his head were debating whether to forgive Yami and tackle him to the ground or to indulge in pride and turn away from the velvet-eyed young man.

Compromise got in the way, as it always does.

"Yugi doesn't know…" he mumbled, smiling faintly. Because Yugi's mind couldn't think of anything better than to retire into the third person speaking, like it was a wall that could protect him, and resume their silly game of confessions.

"This is not what Yugi said yesterday…" Yami was stepping closer, which distracted Yugi from looking intently at the carpet. He wanted to know how much of last night Yami remembered and how much of it he had… liked, maybe, to what extent he had been sincere. He was looking into his handsome neighbor's eyes almost as if the answer to his questions could lay in the depth of the red and black of his irises. Had he been serious, was he serious even now… was Yugi going to forgive him so easily when Yami could have easily feigned that whole amnesia thing just to get Yugi's attention and be sure that the younger man's intentions in his regards had not changed? Or did Yugi like being angry with Yami as an excuse to hold a grudge and pout a little more and have Yami all for himself the whole morning? As if Yugi was some prize that the other man had to try and get back...

Yugi didn't like to think of himself as a prize, or like an object, but wasn't he doing the same thing with Yami when he thought about stealing him from the world and having him stay in the kitchen, Yugi's kitchen, the whole morning? The whole day? The whole forever? Was that even grammatically correct again?

_Maybe…_

Yes, that had also been Yugi's answer back then, and apparently Yami remembered, as well as a lot of other things. The man was really a puzzle sometimes…

"You can't really be serious about me marrying you," Yugi chuckled meekly. "Like… right here, right now, completely out of the blue."

"Well, maybe you are taking me a _little_ too literally…" Yami tilted his head, his voice high-pitched at the 'little,' the teasing tone brought a smile on Yugi's lips which Yami mimicked. "I wouldn't want to rush things, you know?" They both chuckled at that.

Yugi turned to the sink and opened the cupboard to collect a couple of empty dishes, which he piled up together, along with the baby-foody omelet. He placed them on the table and turned around again to pick up the rice pot and put it down beside the dishes. He took a seat on the candy-colored stool and made a motion for Yami to follow him so they could have breakfast together. The older man reached for the chopsticks Yugi had forgotten on the kitchen counter and then took a seat next to Yugi.

He was starving, but the mere sight of food made Yami's stomach twist and swirl, meaning it would not have held anything the young man decided to gulp down. Maybe it was for the best though, the rice looked okay but the eggs… well, the mush they had been chopped into made Yami wonder if they had gone raw all over again.

Yugi snickered at seeing the way his friend was toying with the food in his plate, as if the omelet could jump and start devouring Yami at any given second.

"Sorry 'bout that," he smiled, chewing a mouthful of rice. "It's also your fault, though".

"Were you _that_ angry? I mean, these poor eggs had nothing against you…"

Yugi simply shrugged and they both remained silent for a while, chewing and swallowed their breakfast.

"What do you-"

"I'm sorry-"

They broke each other's silence at the same time before Yami smiled and all too theatrically gestured for Yugi to go on.

"You first," he conceded.

"Ladies first," was the younger man's reply.

"You little – I was going to apologize to you but I don't think you'll hear those words from my mouth so soon."

"Wait, what were you apologizing for?" Yugi inquired, but the other man had turned his back at him taking advantage of the way the stool could spin around on itself, and now had his arms crossed on his chest. "Yami?" Yugi half-pleaded, half-laughed. Why was he such a child?

Yami oh-so slowly turned around again and shot Yugi a skeptical look. "I was going to apologize to the eggs for they had to bear your cruel massacre of their jelly, helpless, protein bodies. They didn't deserve your killer instincts."

"No, silly, you said you were going to apologize _to me._" Yugi repeatedly pressed his index finger against Yami's arm to emphasize his point. "Now, I'm still waiting to hear the why," he inquired more softly.

Back to his full age again, Yami sighed, the most imperceptible shade of red dying his cheekbones in dark pink. "I'm sorry for… passing out last night," he admitted. He expected some witty retort from Yugi but the other man did not interrupt him and was looking at Yami waiting for him to go on and finish his apology properly. With a certain satisfaction maybe. Yami sighed. "I'm sorry… for falling asleep while you were kissing me." Yugi remained silent, still not content about how Yami had formulated his excuses. "Ok, while _we_ were kissing."

"Now, that sounds better," Yugi nodded.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I missed one of the most beautiful things that could happen to me… to _us_," he mumbled softly. "I was just there and… I'm… "

"Yes," Yugi nodded. "You _are_ stupid."

"As hell." Yami returned the nod. But Yugi smiled softly and took Yami's hand into his own, slowly stroking its surface with both his thumbs. He didn't enjoy Yami's guiltiness per se, he enjoyed the fact that Yami _felt _guilty, because it meant that it hadn't been all in Yugi's head and that yesterday night had been true. They had both been sincere. And the eggs had unjustly been slaughtered.

Yugi leant his head on Yami's shoulder. "I forgive you," he mumbled, still smiling.

The older of the two silently savored the feeling of Yugi's body against his own, something he wasn't able to recall from the past night's experience. He was still terribly sorry. And terribly embarrassed. He would probably be sorry for a very long time – Yugi enjoyed the situation to much to let it go.

Yami sighed.

"Can I make up for what I did yesterday?"

"For what you _did not_ do yesterday," Yugi specified.

"Yeah, right…" Yami nodded, his eyes on the remains of omelet lying on both his and Yugi's plates.

"Well?" Yugi chirped.

"What?"

"I'm waiting…" _And I will pout again if you don't do something,_ he thought. _And I will rip your ribcage open if you dare to fall asleep on me again_. This was the exact same thought that crossed Yami's mind as he leaned closer. Cupping Yugi's face with his free hand, he gently pressed his lips against the other man's.

_I love them when they do the bickering… I'm sorry for the eggs but I couldn't help it._

_This story was _so _fun to write, I'm having more and more fun lately writing my stories, which is great I guess, but I'm still lazy as hell and can't seem to finish any of them. Well, aside from the short ones like this._

_Thank you for reading, I cherish all of your feedback and believe me when I say it IS helpful._


End file.
